The SuperNova
by ecto1B
Summary: 2 years after the movie. Jim is is on break from commanding his own crew, but suddenly a strange girl is found unconscious on the doorstep of the Benbow Inn, carrying the map to the destroyed Treasure Planet. Does it hold more secrets? Jim/OC DISCONTINUED
1. Prologue: A Story Revisited

Just a note: This prologue SHOULD seem familiar to most Treasure Planet fans. I took the beginning of the movie w/ the narrator and then added a few parts. The * is where the narrator stopped and I added more. Please comment! This is my first time with a Treasure Planet fanfic and I want it to be amaaaaaaaaaaazing!

-ecto1B

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**The SuperNova**

Prologue

_**On the clearest of nights, when the winds of the Etherium were calm and peaceful, the great merchant ships with their cargoes of Arcturian sura crystals felt safe and secure. Little did they suspect that they were pursued by pirates. And the most feared of all these pirates was the notorious Captain Nathaniel Flint. Like a Candarian zap-wing overtaking its prey, Flint and his band of renegades swooped in out of nowhere. And then, gathering up their spoils… vanished without a trace. Flint's secret trove was never found, but stories have persisted that it remains hidden somewhere at the farthest reaches of the galaxy, stowed with riches beyond imagination—the loot of a thousand worlds: Treasure Planet…**_

_…**There are nights when the winds of the Etherium—so inviting in their promise of flight and freedom—made one's spirit soar.* The gentle whisper of the winds slithering between the mizzen and across the bridge of a great freighter only stimulated the yearning of the young to take wing. But they must first realize that before the young can fly, the young must walk. Walk, and be free, for the free are the ones who glow like a raging solar fire, illuminating the heavens and drawing lines in the sky. Only then will the young spirit soar.**_

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Like? Dislike? Too cheesy? Give me feedback! Chapter 1 up soon!


	2. Know Thine Enemy, Even If He's Fat

The first installment in SuperNova is underway! I need opinions: Should I change my penname from ecto1B to something around "SuperNova?"

Thanks! And enjoy (and review :P)

-ecto1B

Disclaimer: (Almost) All of the characters in this chapter belong to me. The rest belong to Disney! :)

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Chapter 1

Know Thine Enemy, Even if He's Fat

I shut my eyes, fighting back the tears that so fervently wanted to fall. My knuckles turned crimson as I clenched them harder against the pistol I held behind my back. My face grew hot when I ducked in front of the large wood chest nearby, prying it open with my free hand. The combination set upon it was tough to crack, but I had a feeling a simple lock would not repel those fiendish freebooters. What the chest contained was worth more than any mere pile of gold. An object of immense power, it could cause downfall to the regime if found in a pirate's grubby paws.

Just minutes ago, my crew and I were experiencing an abnormally hushed voyage through the Etherium. It seemed I was the only one who noticed, for the tension hadn't grown at all. Apparently I was the only one who used to read those old stories about pirates growing up. A tranquil Etherium was an unsafe Etherium. My ship, the S.S. Bravery, was a powerfully built vessel, much unlike the others of her kind. But I was ambivalent as to how she would hold up against a fiery raid.

As if they'd read my mind, a small but sporty craft sailed up next to the Bravery, and its crew began boarding. All were strange, fearsome creatures that towered over my company. They held pistols and swords, waving them around and toppling my men. Fire spurred inside their eyes. I saw my second-in-command, Patchy, holding his own against the pirate's captain: a pot-bellied, livid… _cyborg_? Patchy was a pelican-looking man with a large beak and blue beady eyes. He'd been second-in-command under me for—it seems like—eternity. Burly and well trained in combat, I knew Patchy wouldn't take any crap from this chubby cyborg.

As Patchy's blade collided with the pirate's, he managed to holler out to me. As of that moment, I was standing next to my cabin door, having just exited. Seeing the chaos emerging on deck had frozen my body.

"CAPTAIN!" Patchy called, grunting and grimacing with every blow. His oversized beak snapped at the cyborg's free hand. "GET INTO YOUR CABIN! KEEP _**IT **_SAFE!"

Nodding, I spun around and vanished into my cabin, knowing exactly what "IT" was. That's where I left off, when I dashed to the wooden chest and wrested the top open.

When my fingers, thrashing around inside the trunk, finally caught hold of a tightly packaged spherical object, relief flooded my veins. It was still safe. I pressed it tight against my chest and hopelessly scanned around the room for an escape. Using the main door was out of the question. Windows? Suicide. Crawl through that dingy grate in wall? Too dangerous.

There came a heavy pounding at the door, with yelling and cursing not far behind. The desperation grew hotter than a burning star. I had to get out, or die. Die, and never see the regime fall, and the peoples' independence expire. I shook my head and sighed. What a terrible way to go out.

My eyes suddenly left the package in my hand and came to rest at the floorboards, where I knew hid a long wiring of tunnels and longboats beneath. _Longboats! Escape!_

The hole that I made with my pistol in the floor became much wider than I'd expected. I managed to jump below deck—with the object still safe in my hands—and hurry past miles of wiring to a small room where three longboats waited. Sounds of swords, shouting and explosions echoed from above my head. Different scenarios started creeping up on me.

_ I hope Patchy and the others make it…_

Hastily, I sprinted to the nearest boat and began untying the ropes. I'd taught my crew to use a special knot that was not only efficient, but was easy for me to disfigure. Once it was free, I tossed the parcel into the boat and began climbing inside. I was surprised as to how smoothly everything was carrying out, until…

_ ZING!_ A pistol bullet shot past my shoulder and collided with the wall. Another one proceeded, skimming my back. Wincing in pain, I clasped my revolver and fired back, not able to see whom it was because of the lack of light. Someone screamed out in pain, so I assumed my bullet had hit its intended target. I had no time to completely turn around to see my assailant.

"Avast ye' hoppin' lass!" someone bellowed, firing another round of bullets my way. "That be me treasure ye' escapin' with!"

I clumsily dodged each bullet, still massaging my shoulder. It hurt like heck. I had to find some sort of doctor… this pain was nothing like any injury I'd ever gotten. But when had I ever had an encounter with pirates before?

As I clambered into the longboat, I heard someone from the other direction calling to me and getting nearer. The sound of their boots seemed familiar.

"CAPTAIN! HURRY! GET _**IT**_ OUT OF HERE!"

_ Patchy?_

And then, as if a huge blanket had swept over me, everything went black. Patchy faded away, and so did the rest of the world. I no longer could feel my legs and arms as I vanished into the abyss of the shadows consuming me.

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Review please!


	3. Dropping Off

Chapter 2! Fun! This is where you meet Patchy! This isn't from anyone's point of view... that's why its all in italics. And the bold sentence near the bottom is sort of a flashback to the prologue...

Thanks for reviewing & reading!

-ecto1B

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Chapter 2

Dropping Off

_ Lighting flashed, illuminating his black irises. The massive pelican-looking man, with his flashing orange beak and dusty white feathers, crawled out of the longboat and onto the waterlogged grass below him. He buried his head in his soggy uniform and let out an anguished moan, followed by a few loud coughs. Blood seeped from the lower portion of his torso, staining the grass a violent crimson shade. Patchy was running out of valuable time._

_ He hobbled back onto his feet and turned to face the longboat again. A slender silhouette—concealed with a grey tarp for protection from the rain—lay motionless at the back of the boat. Patchy reached over and folded the top half down to reveal Nova Alanis Aphelion, his fearless captain and sole guardian of the most prized item in the galaxy. She'd succumbed to the bullet wound in her shoulder and had gone unconscious while defending herself and the package; a brave last resort. Patchy had picked her up, boarded the longboat that Nova'd tried to escape in, and made a break for it. The closest planet was Montressor, so he set a course there, hoping to find some hospitable people who could restore Nova back to full health and keep her safe from the pirates. Then Patchy would get back in the longboat and lure the pirates away from Montressor. It was the only practical course of action in such a predicament. The captain's safety and the precious object came first. Patchy's life and sanity trailed behind._

"_C'mon, captain…" Patchy murmured groggily, stretching out and heaving Nova's motionless body into his arms. "Let's find a good place for you to stay." He returned the grey tarp over her face and glanced around. The rain made it hard to see his surroundings, but he'd swore he'd seen a large building nearby._

_ Then, another burst of lightning brightened the area for a brief moment. The same building appeared, sitting on the top of a gradual slope. A sign hanging from a post read "The Benbow Inn."_

_ After a few harrowing minutes of lugging Nova's limp body up the small hill in the pouring rain, Patchy's knees buckled under him and Nova tumbled from his arms and right onto the Inn's welcome mat. Her thick brown hair tangled around her neck and across her face, and her forehead came to a gentle rest against the door. _

_ Patchy groaned fiercely, clutching his arms around his torso, trying to stop the blood flow. The pain was excruciating. He held back an agonizing scream and breathed heavily through his gigantic beak instead. With one hand, the injured man crawled to his feet and briskly rapped on the door. Someone __**had**_ _to open the door and take Nova inside. Instantly, a feeble smile grew on the old sailor's face, picturing how gratified his captain would be when she realized the special package was safe. Nova would also be proud of him and her slaughtered crew for their unselfish sacrifices. That was the main thing._

** Only then will the young spirit soar.**

_ Voices came from inside the Inn, shaking Patchy from his thoughts. Without delay, he started limping away from the Inn, but still, over the rain, could hear what was said._

"_Jim? Could you get the door?" a woman asked kindly, sounding fatigued. "My hands are full."_

"_Oh, no need, Sarah," a man replied, and there were footsteps. "Let Jim help you with the dishes. I'll get it."_

"_Thank you, Delbert." The woman gave an exhausted sigh._

_ When the door finally swung open, Patchy was already halfway back to the longboat. He had no intention of resting or recovering from his fatal wound, even though he would __**love**__ to be invited inside, given a good mug of beer, and offered a comfy bed. The captain needed all of that, not him. His job was now to lead the pirates away from Montressor to keep Nova safe. Patchy refused to look back at the Inn, for his pining to turn back was growing stronger._

"_Hello? Sir?" someone yelled after him through the rain. "Sir! Wait! SIR!"_

_ Patchy, not even turning, waved the man away. "Take care of her! Forget about me!" He staggered into the boat and pressed the drenched control buttons, revving up the motor. _

"_But SIR!" The man was following Patchy through the rain, trying to talk to him. "You appear to be injured too, so I think—"_

_ Patchy spun around and met the dog-like man's wide eyes with his own black irises. "I am not important. Take care of the captain."_

_ And Patchy, igniting the longboat's engine, faded from view._

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Like? Haha I wrote this while watching my brother play "Batman Arkham Asylum" on the PS3. Lol so that's why it's really dark...

Tell me if you loved it!

Thanks!


	4. Aftershave Surprises

Back from Spring Break! (for a while). Got some new ideas for this story... yay!

Anyone want a Treasure Planet 2 as much as I do? JIM ISN'T AT DISNEY ANYMORE! :(

haha I just got a stuffed Jim Hawkins from eBay! Teehee!

Hope you enjoy this eventful chapter. (It's in Jim's POV)

-ecto1B

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Treasure Planet, or Jim.... Disney owns them. :( All I own so far is Nova and Patchy.

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Chapter 3

Aftershave Surprises

I stared deeply at my reflection in the mirror, admiring myself as I trimmed my hair with scissors and a sharply tuned razor. The haircut I'd just given myself was familiar and reassuring; a genuine sign that I was home from all that crazy space travel. No more cleanly-shaven, flawless appearance. No more ugly white captain suits that itched in all the wrong places. I could be me again after all those long years (Only two, but it seemed like plenty more). My dark brown hair had finally grown long enough for me to chop off most of my bangs, leaving two thick strands of hair hanging at the side of my face that reached to the base of my cheekbones. The rest of my hair was shortly cut, framing my head, except for one unique trait. I'd used the razor to almost completely shave down the hair creeping down the back of my neck, excluding a small, jagged ponytail which I'd carefully tied off with a rubber band. This unusual haircut was a favorite of mine that I'd proudly exhibited two years ago; it showed independence as well as adolescence. I liked that.

Stepping back from the mirror to get a better look, I ran my large blue eyes across every element of my appearance, and was satisfied. I now could see the man who dueled with pirates, commanded his own vessel, and roared deep into territories none had ever dared venture near. Jim Pleiades Hawkins, the brand new captain of the RLS Legacy, at your service. Since Captain Amelia had to stay at home and watch her newborn children, I'd offered to take her place as captain on her ship. It had been going well for me, except for the minor setbacks I experienced when my crew became obnoxious. I'd just gotten off duty about a week ago and was back home at the ol' Benbow my mom owned. Our friends, Dr. Doppler and Captain Amelia (who'd had girl triplets and a baby boy since I'd seen them last), were spending the night at the Inn as a bit of construction was taking place on their house. Thankfully the Inn was not booked at all, so it was just Mom, Delbert, Amelia, their kids and I. I could relax, tinker with my solar surfer, and then go to bed.

A knock came at the bathroom door, and then a voice.

"Jim? Are you almost done in there?" It was my mom, as intruding as usual. "How'd the haircut go?" Then, she added, rather knowingly, "Do I need to fix anything?"

Taking a deep breath, I ran my fingers through my hair and pushed open the door. My mom, dressed in her usual apron, waited expectantly. When she saw me, her face lit up with delight.

"Jim, it looks great!" Immediately, she pulled me into a tight hug and ruffled my side bangs. "You look just like you did two years ago. Such a handsome boy."

Totally embarrassed, I tried to wriggle out of her grip, but couldn't help smiling as I did so. Mom had a vibe about her that most of the time made everyone content. Except when she was stressed. Ever since my father left us, she'd been working nonstop to not only raise me—her only son—but to run a business. It hurt to see Mom so depressed. But now that my adventure on Treasure Planet was over, she didn't get too strained any longer. In fact, it hardly ever happened. She had help—in the form of B.E.N., the old robot I'd found while searching for Flint's Trove—and she had a best friend. Captain Amelia was just that: the friend Mom had never had growing up. It pleased me to see Mom so happy after all those difficult years, and I tried my best to keep her like that. A proud mom was a cheerful mom.

I could feel my face turning red. "Thanks, Mom," I murmured when she released me.

She patted my shoulders. "Now, come help me clean the dinner dishes. After, we can all socialize in front of the fireplace." She sighed. "Delbert wants to hear that story about the Candarian zap-wings again."

I gave her a puzzled look. "The one where they attacked the ship?"

She nodded. "That's the one."

"Sure, Mom."

Mom massaged her neck. "Thank you, Jim, for your cooperation."

I chuckled. "Mom, don't worry. I'll leave out all the life-threatening parts." _Yeah, like Delbert, Amelia and I didn't tell you about all the awful stuff that happened to me when we were on Treasure Planet, like the mutiny, and the explosion…and Silver…_

As that crazy old cyborg's name appeared in my head, a flood of mixed emotions filed into my system. I missed him. He'd been the closest thing I'd had to a father, but then it turned out he was a pirate. He betrayed us and caused the revolt I was just mentioning. He did it all for the miles and miles of gold laid upon the core of Treasure Planet; for all the riches of the world. But, in the end, he'd chosen good over evil, and had released the life-long obsession that drew him closer and closer to insanity: treasure. I was alive because of him, and he was alive because of me. We hadn't kept in touch because he was on the run from authorities, but I had a feeling he was still out there inside the Etherium, roaming around, searching for adventure. Someday our paths would cross again. Someday.

Mom and I went downstairs to the large dining area where Amelia and Delbert waited. B.E.N. was singing some old pirate tune in the kitchen. I heard dishes clattering too, so obviously he was trying to lend a hand… but my guess was that he was failing miserably.

Delbert and Amelia were seated at one of the many dining tables, each cradling two of their four babies. All four—three girls and one boy—were fast asleep, wrapped in tiny blankets. When we approached, Delbert and his wife softly laid the babies into their sleeping basket, then sat back down. Delbert was a scholarly, spectacled, dog-like man who'd known my mother since I was young. He was always there to make her feel better about any situation. His wife was Captain Amelia: a cattish, lithe woman who could command the socks of a room of spacers. She'd been the captain of the RLS Legacy when I'd started my journey. A fierce woman, Amelia knew how to keep those around her in order.

Amelia gave me a sinuous smirk, scanning over my appearance with her sharp eyes. Her hand clasped Delbert's in her lap.

"Now that's the James Hawkins we all know," she said with mock (but friendly) enthusiasm. "I'd think you'd just come from the past had I not known better."

"It's good to have you back, Jim," Delbert added kindly. "The hair and everything!"

He was right. I'd completely returned to my normal self, including my clothes. I was wearing the usual getup: dark black boots with copper trim, baggy navy green pants and a greenish long sleeved shirt. In it, I had comfort as well as movement.

I held my arms out in a showy pose. "Jim Hawkins is back in business!" I announced gloriously, bowing. Mom giggled, scooping up our empty dinner plates from the table and trying to balance them. I decided against parading around any longer and rushed over to help my mom. _I'm a gentleman, now, Mom. I can prove it._

** There are nights when the winds of the Etherium—so inviting in their promise of flight and freedom—made one's spirit soar.**

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. And it wasn't a suppressed knock, either. A hard banging filled the room, as if in desperation.

Mom exhaled slowly. "Jim? Could you get the door? My hands are full."

I started towards the door, but Delbert stood up and waved me away. "Oh, no need, Sarah. Let Jim help you with the dishes. I'll get it."

"Thank you, Delbert."

My mom and I brought the dishes into the kitchen, just as we heard the door creak open and Amelia screaming.

"Delbert! What are you… oh my goodness… Sarah?!?! You need to come see this!!!!" The howling of the winds outside muffled Amelia's voice, but the feel of alarm sent rigid shocks through everyone. Something was _terribly wrong. _

"AMELIA?" Mom cried out, slamming the dirty plates into B.E.N.'s stupefied arms and rushing out the kitchen door. I followed hot on her heels, my boots pounding on the wood floor. B.E.N. called after us, but I tuned him out and focused on the situation at hand. What was wrong? Blood pulsed fiery adrenaline through my veins. The last time I'd had this happened to me was during the mutiny on the RLS Legacy two years ago, when Silver tried to take the map. I thought I'd never have to feel so feverish again.

When my mom and I shoved open the kitchen door and hurtled into the main living room, the view we saw at the doorstep caused both our bodies to go rigid. I couldn't believe my eyes.

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*Gasp*

What is it?

It's kinda obvious if you've read my previous chapters....


	5. It Can't Be

Hey! I know, 2 chapters in one day! Yipee!

Hopefully everyone (*cough cough* _especially those of my readers who are female_ *cough cough*) will like this chapter!

Btw:

OMGitsEMILY: Thanks for the kind reviews. Yes, I agree that a Treasure Planet 2 might turn out cheesy in some ways. LOL if they let you and I write it... lol who KNOWS how could it would be! Haha thanks for reading. I really _really _appreciate it! Your stories are great, too! **EVERYONE! IF YOU LIKE MY STORY, READ HERS :)**

Horsygirl 96: You too, thanks for reading and loving my story! Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it! :P

Like I said above, hope my girl readers will enjoy a certain paragraph in here... *hint hint*

(Still in Jim's POV)

Thanks for reading! Review please! :)

-ecto1B

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet. Disney does. *sigh* But Nova ISH MINE :)

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Chapter 4

It Can't Be

Sprawled out upon our welcome mat was a slender woman in a formal turquoise uniform, totally unconscious and immobile. She looked slightly older than me, maybe 19 or 20. Her light brown hair stuck to her thin face, but I could still see a few red scars dotting her cheeks. The girl was soaking wet and had scarlet blood oozing from behind a flimsy white cloth wrapped around her shoulder. A few spots of mud clung to her clothes. It was a horrible sight that sent chills down my spine. Mom gasped and covered her mouth with one hand; the other hand laid at her neckline.

Captain Amelia was already kneeling at the girl's side, checking for a pulse. The door was still wide open, and I narrowed my eyes, searching through the night-licked rain for Delbert. My guess was that he'd ran outside, because he wasn't anywhere in the room. Mom and I went over to the woman as well, her eyes wide and startled.

"She's alive," Amelia declared finally, pulling back some of the girl's hair from her face. "Quite barely, though. We need to analyze her wounds and bring her inside." She stood up, rubbing her hands together. "Jim. Help your mother and I carry this poor girl inside, will you?"

I nodded and, careful not to get any of her blood on me, scooped the woman up in my arms. She was much lighter than I expected. My eyes caught sight of a glinting silver medal fastened to her shirt that said "Captain of the S.S. Bravery." _She must've been attacked while commanding her vessel _I thought quickly. _A raid… or a mutiny on board must've caused her to retreat. _A single word caught in my throat. _Pirates?_

Mom's voice broke my thoughts. "Where's Delbert?"

Amelia pointed out the door. "He's trying to find whoever left this poor girl here. They couldn't have gone far in this awful weather. He thinks he can stop them…"

"Jim." Mom spun to look at me as I gently lay the girl next to the fireplace. "Go fetch some fabric from upstairs. We need to correctly wrap her wound and slow the blood flow." She directed her attention back to the girl. "If we don't, she could die."

Since I didn't want to exit the room during an invigorating situation like this, I reluctantly removed my shirt (!!!!!!!!) and waited until Mom had undone the badly applied cloth from the girl's shoulder before folding my shirt into a suitable cast for her arm. As I did so, I couldn't help noticing that the blood gushed from a perfectly round bullet wound. Only a flawlessly tampered-with pistol could've made such a mark. And pirates were the ones carrying these vandalized weapons around. _Pirates…_ It was all starting to make sense, even though I didn't want it to. There were only a few bunches of pirates left in the galaxy, and I hoped it wasn't including the specific one I thought of. _If she'd been traveling near the Etherium, then it had to be him. If she hadn't, then I was okay. _

Mom offered me her wool shawl when she saw me shivering, but I wasn't cold. No, I was shivering because of what was running through my mind. I stared at the girl lying on the floor, mentally begging her to deny any pirate attacks when she woke—_if _she woke. _Not Silver._

_ What if it __**is**__ Silver? But what if he's still good? That would only mean… this girl must not be on our side… she must've done something awful and Silver was just trying to stop her from getting away with it. So… did we just let a culprit into our house?_

_ Wait a second, Jim!_ My thoughts dueled with one another, debating on and on. _Remember that she's the captain of her own vessel! And haven't you heard of the S.S. Bravery before in the news? Didn't its captain pass away and his daughter became the captain? Why would she do anything bad?_

_ But __**Silver!**__ If he is, indeed, the pirate the led the attack on her ship, then why did he raid her? What does she have that he doesn't?_

And then, like a Kalepsian kite taking off into the darkness of night, it all came flooding to me. The item Silver coveted, the thing that cost hundreds of spacers their lives, the thing any captain would die protecting, the thing I'd had been handed two years ago by a decrepit, wheezing alien in this very place… was _right back in this very room._

_** The map. **_

It wasn't sanely possible. Wasn't it destroyed when Treasure Planet and all of Flint's Trove blew up? I hadn't seen anyone take it… but then again, desperate foragers _loved _rummaging about explosion sites deep in the Etherium.

Could it possibly be true?

Just then, Amelia noticed my far-off gaze and waved me back to the present.

"Mr. Hawkins, are you alright?"

I nodded hazily and rolled my shoulders to get loosened up. If this girl awoke, I needed to be ready to hear what was coming. I had to prepare myself.

The door shut behind us, and we all spun around to look at Delbert. He was soaked to the bone and was panting heavily. His fingers clutched the doorframe for support. Amelia bounded over to his side, hugging him close and fixing his disheveled hair. His large eyes met mine, and a telepathic message was transmitted. Delbert was absolutely petrified.

"What happened?" Amelia questioned fiercely, peering up at him with her thin cat-like eyes. "Did you find anyone out there?"

Delbert gasped for breath, then gulped. "Y-y-yes, I did, in fact, find someone."

"And?" I prompted forcefully. "Where is he?"

Gulping again, Delbert managed himself over to a nearby chair and fell into it. "I… I couldn't stop him. He was a big fellow… definitely a spacer of some sort. And he was injured. I could see the blood surging from his chest, even in the rain. But he wouldn't stop. He hobbled over to his little longboat and vanished into the sky." Delbert massaged his temples. "I don't know who he was or what he was doing here, but he _did _know this girl." He motioned to her on the floor. "He kept demanding that I worry about her and not him. She must be very important."

I tilted my head a bit to further examine this girl. She puzzled me. Someone like _this_ was a captain. Sure she was… er… _pretty_… but I didn't find any other bit of her to be unique. It was as if a peasant woman had decided to play dress-up today. An average looking woman wearing a gloriously eye-catching captain's uniform. That's all I saw.

So how did a woman like this get possession of the map?

I still had a ton of unanswered questions flitting around in my brain when, at last, the woman let out a fit of heavy coughing. Then her sharp grey eyes snapped open.

Nothing was ever the same.

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Like? Dislike? Hate with a fiery passion?

Tell me in a review! Please no haters :)

Next will be the girl's (Nova) POV, so get ready!


	6. Montressor Isn't Kansas

I've had this chapter's idea in my mind for days now and I'm super glad I finally got it written down. What I'm trying to go for is a very hateful relationship between Jim and Nova. Hopefully I've conveyed that enough in this chapter. They may think that the other is sort of attractive, but DEFINITELY NOT a person they'd see themselves being with. Any tips on doing that from more experienced writers out there? Please give me ideas as well. I love hearing all this stuff from everyone!

Oh, and in case you all were wondering. There is a "motto song" for this story. "Come Sail Away" by Styx is one of the best songs to describe this story so far. Any other good song suggestions? I'd appreciate it :)

Hope this chapter isn't such a cliffhanger... well... it is, but... never mind. And sorry for the bad Wizard of Oz jokes....

Enjoy and Review!

-ecto1B

disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet or any of its characters. (duh. If somehow you thought I did...)

Nova belongs to MEHHH nawt yooh. :P

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Chapter 5

Montressor Isn't Kansas

With my consciousness came searing pain. It was like someone had lit a match and placed it on my shoulder, letting it scorch through my sleeves and deep into my skin. I wanted to scream at them for their carelessness. How could they set me ablaze? I'm captain of the greatest ship ever to set sail into the skies! They had no right to be negligent with me! Playing with fire was not to be tolerated on _my_ ship!

Not only did my shoulder sting, but my throat was sore and I could feel swelling along my legs and around my stomach. Casualties of war. I was grateful that this was all I was experiencing. At least I wasn't dead. I tried to smile, but the corners of my mouth had been singed as well, probably from the same flame. I hadn't yet opened my eyes, for the fear of what I'd see grew every second. Where was I? What had become of the Bravery? Were the pirates still hanging around? Patchy? Where was he? Was he okay?

Once my ears adjusted to my surroundings, there came unfamiliar voices hanging over me. First, a woman who sounded sharp and commanding spoke, and I knew I wasn't captured by pirates. _Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas any more…_

"Mr. Hawkins, are you alright?" she asked someone else in the room. No one answered, so I assumed "Mr. Hawkins" had either mouthed his reply or simply made a motion. That's all I could tell before the sound of a wooden door shutting came from close by.

"What happened? Did you find anyone out there?" The woman questioned briskly.

An intelligent-sounding man responded. "Y-y-yes, I did, in fact, find someone." He was out of breath… _why_? _Who had he found? Did they have anything to do with me?_

Another voice, this time belonging to a younger male. He sounded like a normal rebellious teenager with an added gentlemanly twang… that was… _rather hot_ to me. _Let's hope this guy's as attractive as he sounds. _

"And? Where is he?"

"I… I couldn't stop him. He was a big fellow… definitely a spacer of some sort. And he was injured. I could see the blood surging from his chest, even in the rain. But he wouldn't stop. He hobbled over to his little longboat and vanished into the sky." The older man paused. "I don't know who he was or what he was doing here, but he _did _know this girl." Another pause. _Was he talking about me? _"He kept demanding that I worry about her and not him. She must be very important."

_Oh yes, I'm important! I'm the captain of the S.S. Bravery: a legendary ship that's saved many lives and done many things! But who said they should take care of me and not "him?" A "big fellow?" Patchy?_

A deep rasp swelled in my throat, and I broke into a loud fit of coughing, unable to hold it in any longer. Every motion I made shot awful throbbing down the length of my body, but I _had_ to cough.

And then I opened my eyes.

My surroundings were blurry at first. I could make out blobs of people lingering above me and a crackling fireplace at my left, but that was it. The finer details would have to wait a bit longer.

"Where am I?" I croaked, shifting where I lay. "Where's my ship?"

A woman's hand pressed against my wet forehead. I then realized how soaking wet I was… my uniform was _toast_.

"Shh…" A new woman cooed in a very motherly fashion. "Don't move. We bandaged up your shoulder. You've lost a lot of blood, and you need to stay still."

I moaned and licked my dry lips. "Who… are you? All of you?"

_Man, this __**definitely **__isn't Kansas. Toto, maybe you got the directions wrong…_

Things were getting clearer. The kind woman had dark brown hair and a sympathetic face. "I'm Sarah Hawkins, and I own the Benbow Inn, which is where you are now." She pointed to the other lady who looked like a cat. "That's Amelia, and that's her husband, Delbert." The dog-like man dipped his head. "And this is my son, Jim." I squinted to get a better look at the boy who had the attractive voice. The only positive thing was that a shirt was absent from his muscular torso. Other than that, he wasn't _super_ handsome. To me, he looked like a twelve-year-old boy who just got out of juvenile hall. He had a nice face and nice eyes… but I'd seen much better in those male models back home. _Eh… so-so. It could've been worse._

"Nice to meet you all," I managed, then winced when my arm stung. "I'm Nova. Nova Alanis Aphelion, captain of the S.S. Bravery, but please just call me Nova. What planet is this?"

"Montressor." Jim said flatly, practically staring me down. I gave him a half-hearted and confused look, then returned my gaze to Sarah.

"How did I get here?"

"We found you on the doorstep a few minutes ago," Amelia explained. "You were unconscious and bloody." She took a few paces nearby, then spun to meet my eyes. "Why? Do you know?"

Steadily, I itched the back of my neck, deep in thought. "Okay. All I remember were the pirates." Jim's eyes lit up and he practically exploded from his seat. I ignored him and went on. "We were setting a course for nearby Kinapis, and then to the RE.G system, but our plans changed when we were bombarded. A large group of freebooters unlawfully jumped aboard and massacred most of my crew. I don't know how I escaped. I passed out in a longboat as I tried to make a break for it. Some fat pirate shot my arm." I sighed. "At least they didn't get… what they… came for…" I trailed off, completely unsure. "Oh no…"

"What?!?" Jim and Delbert both jumped to their feet and neared me, bubbling over with excitement.

"What's wrong, Nova?" Sarah added to the boys' random question.

But I just shook my head over and over, fighting back tears. It couldn't be true. _I didn't leave the map on the ship… did I?_

"I'm such an IDIOT!" I shouted at myself, feebly sitting up on the carpet and burying my face in my hands. "_**I left it back on the ship**_!"

"What did you leave?" Amelia said intensely, narrowing her gaze. "What's all the fuss about?"

Then, Jim said something that caused my breathing to cease and my body to grow stiff like a rock. I had not expected such an incompetent, unruly adolescent to say what flew from his lips. No one but my crew and I should've known about what we'd been transporting. That was genuinely scary.

"The map," he murmured knowingly; a suggestive smile sliding across his face when I stared in disbelief.

It took a few moments for my vocal chords to work again. I saw the rest of them with their mouths wide open, not believing what he'd said._ Figures_.

"H-h-how… did you know?" I whispered finally, gripping my hand over my shoulder. "You shouldn't… have know about that."

His face was smug with satisfaction. He'd pinpointed my weakness and had followed through with the attack. I eyed him carefully. Was he the enemy? That would explain everything. Or was this his form of… badly processed flirting? I'd known it from the beginning: he was a teasing delinquent who found happiness in the form of humiliating famous captains. Had to be. Then how did he know about the map?

"Call it good guessing," Jim answered, walking over to a coat hanger nearby and retrieving a heavy black jacket from one of the hooks. I assumed it was for his bare chest, but instead, he ambled back over to me and kneeled down so we were face to face. His nose was illegally close to mine. _Ew… get away, you putrid felon. _

"Good guessing?" I snapped, surveying his every move. Our eyes were locked in an aggressive latch. "More like _you_ know more than _you_ should."

Instead of firing a retort back, he tossed the jacket onto my arms in an absurdly thoughtful gesture. Our gazes persisted to fasten together for just a moment more, until he stood back up and looked at his mother.

"Mom, I believe we've just let a convict in the house."

* * *

A convict? *gasp*

Anyone THINK Nova's bad? Tell!!!!

Review please!


	7. Oh, Look What I Found!

'Kay people! Rather medium-length chapter for me... nothing _special_. Just a sort of coincidental occurrence....

I wanna take this time to reveal this story's basic... eh... what's the word?... _nature_? It was conveyed to me by a faithful reader, OMGitsEMILY. She summed up Jim and Nova's relationship as "I think you're incredibly attractive, but I absolutely despise you as a person." I LOVED that, so that is now officially the _nature_ of this story. Ta-daa! Thanks!

The beginning of this chapter is really just Nova ranting her butt off about Jim. lol

-ecto1B

I DONT OWN TREASURE PLANET. DUH.

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Chapter 6

Oh, Look What I Found!

He was _really_ starting to get on my nerves.

How could he accuse me of such evils? A _convict_? Puh-leese. I was one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. Why would I have stolen the map? Yes, it was a very special and consecrated object that many men would die to get their hands on… but that wasn't the point. The point was that this… _good-for-nothing jerk _had called me a convict. A convict of what crime? "Stealing" an object that had actually been given to me to protect from _scumbags_ like him! He had no idea what my motives were. Not that he'd actually given me time to explain myself! How could someone be so insulting?

Anyway, as I sat there on the carpet of the Benbow Inn, holding in protests and wearing Jim's heavy jacket with my shoulder bleeding like no tomorrow, I looked painfully around at the others in the room. Amelia was untouched by Jim's horrendous statement. Both Delbert and Sarah appeared mortified. And Jim was… complacent. I balled up my fist, _so _ready to give him what he deserved: a good slug in the mouth. My conscience got the best of me, sadly, and I wished at that moment that my inner voice wasn't so strong.

_Darn you, you cruel conscience. Why do you have to be so dominant… especially when he DESERVES to be punched?_

I was quick to defend myself, though. "I'm not a convict, you dolt! I'm the _guardian_ of that map!" The jacket slid from my shoulders and onto the rug, but I disregarded it. The cold Montressor air that was coming from an open window now caressed my cheek and face, giving me strength as I spoke. "I was _personally assigned_ to guard the map by the commanding officer of the Royal Navy! The Queen was nice enough to advocate on my behalf when the job came up!" My speech emerged into a vindicated snarl. "I would never betray the Queen and the Royal Navy! They're the only family I have, ever since my entire family tree disappeared!"

I'd said too much. I slapped my hand over my mouth and hunched over, a sickening feeling shooting through my throat. Queasiness was one of the things I usually was immune to, but during this situation, I couldn't hide the fact that I was scared. Scared, and _very_ seasick. My face grew sweltering hot…

A bucket was placed in front of me, and someone laid a wet cloth across my forehead. _Good people live on Montressor_ my father had once said to me as we'd both peered over the ship's edge at the planet below us. _Good, kindhearted people who protect one another 'til the death. They're also a very uncooperative planet. The Royal Navy has had some trouble keeping them aligned with the Queen. _With that sentence, my father sighed, releasing all the stress flowing inside of him. _But they're a good people, Nova. If you ever need help, that's where you go. _Truly, I believed my father. He had spoken those words like a true spacer at the time. I'd only been six, but he'd understood everything about space, and was ready to convey the information to me.

Once I'd… _thrown up_… Sarah lifted my chin up so our eyes met. Motherly actions that made me want to cry.

"Calm down, Nova," she said softly. "Don't worry; we believe you. Jim was just…" –at that moment, she glanced back at her son, who was conversing intensely with Amelia and Delbert at the far end of the room—"just trying to protect us. His thoughts overcame his ability to reason with you. He doesn't see your innocence like I do."

"How can you tell?" I sniffed.

She chuckled. "I'm a mother. I can tell when a person is lying or not." She was unflustered… another motherly trait. I envied Jim; he had a very compassionate mother to love him. Mine was… gone. "You spoke with your eyes, Nova. That demonstrates honesty. A trait Jim could learn a bit more about. Honesty and empathy. Now," Sarah brushed her hands on her apron and helped me stand up. "It's getting late. Let's get you a nice bed to sleep in tonight. You can tell us more about what happened tomorrow when you're feeling better. That sound good?"

I nodded and yawned at the same time, still with a hand on top of my shoulder. Sarah led me up the wooden stairs and into the closest doorway, where a nice-looking bed, dresser and window awaited me. I thanked her as much as possible and laid myself into the bed. The sheets were clean and warm. She smiled at me and shut the door, leaving me to my dreams.

But when my torso tried to lay upon the bed, I felt a large lump in my uniform's back pocket that I'd not remembered noticing before. Irritated, I adjusted myself so I could reach behind me and, to my surprise, I pulled out the glittering golden sphere from my jacket pocket.

* * *

"It doesn't make any sense!" I growled fervently, tossing my long bangs. "How did the map survive the explosion? It's not possible!"

"I agree with Jim on this one," Delbert replied, intently looking at his wife and grasping her hand. "It's not physically possible that an object of that size and density couldn't have disintegrated at the extreme heat the planet exerted during its detonation!"

"So, you both are saying she's lying?" Amelia summarized hotly. She crossed her arms when we nodded. "Well, I for one believe her story. Those emotions flashing across her face cannot be replicated by even the greatest of liars." I huffed, and her cat eyes blazed at me. "Designating authenticity is a gift _you_ have yet to discover, Mr. Hawkins."

"But what about the pirate she described?" I cut in. "It _had_ to be Silver. There's no other pirate in the galaxy that would know about the map and be _that_ determined to claim it. She's not telling us everything! Silver wouldn't… _kill_ for the map! She must be dangerous!"

Delbert sucked in a breath, and I knew what was coming. He'd been faintly swayed to his wife's side. "Jim… I don't know how to put this in a good way, but maybe Silver..."

"Changed?" Amelia finished.

"Exactly." Delbert wouldn't let me get a single word in as he clarified his reasoning. "It's been two years, Jim. Maybe he's lost sight of what's good and bad while on the run from authorities?" I could tell he was desperately trying to use the right words so not to rub me the wrong way, but he wasn't doing so well. I trusted Silver with my life. He couldn't have _changed_ in that way. Eradicating _an entire crew?_ That wasn't the Silver I knew and had faith in. Something wasn't right. Okay, so this _girl_ might not be lying. But I still wanted to know how the map hadn't been destroyed. That piece of the puzzle was yet to be found.

Mom came down the stairs, wiping her brow. I was right: she, too, believed Nova. Her face was swarming with confidence. It didn't sicken me as much with Mom as it did with Amelia. Mom was… Mom.

"We'll talk to her in the morning, Jim," she said immediately, watching my body language. "_Don't_ go up and bother her, whatever you do. She needs sleep."

"Don't worry Mom, I won't."

Suddenly, there came a loud _**thump**_ from upstairs. I waved everyone else back and sprinted towards the source of the sound: the girl's bedroom. I flung open the door, expecting to see her carrying some sort of weapon with the barrel pointed at me, but instead, I saw that she'd fallen out of the bed. Her large grey irises were even larger as she gaped at the object lying in her hand.

The map.

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Any tips/advice/suggestions? REVIEW PLEASE!


	8. Aphelion

Phew! Long chapter! This might be my favorite one yet. This is mostly about Nova's background and why the map is so important. I think it's pretty good....

Couldn't think of a very good chapter title, so I called it Aphelion.

_Aphelion: the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is furthest from the sun_

Figure out why I made Nova's last name that and I will put you somewhere in the story! :)

-ecto1B

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Chapter 7

Aphelion

"So, let me see if I've got this straight…" Delbert mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You are the captain of the S.S. Bravery, a trading vessel for the Royal Navy. Your father previously owned the ship, but he, your mother, and everyone you are directly related to, mysteriously disappeared when you were ten. You were taken in by a family friend for about two years until _he_ disappeared as well." Delbert hesitated, contemplating. "I didn't catch the man's name."

I coughed a bit and sat up straighter in my chair. "I forgot to mention it, actually," I admitted sheepishly. "His name was Billius—or Billy. Billy Bones. An old family friend of my father's who originally was the Bravery's second-in-command." I shook my head, remembering that old scaly alien who had been so nurturing towards my sister and I. "Went off one night and never came back."

It took me a second to notice that Delbert, Jim and Sarah were all giving each other significantly nervous looks, as if they knew something I didn't. My breathing slowed.

"Well, what a coincidence!" Delbert broke the silence with fake sincere surprise, standing from his wooden chair to exaggerate himself. "Jim, Sarah and I once knew a Billy Bones as well! Not for very long, however," he included remorsefully. Delbert sat back down.

"Huh?"

"What he means is—" Jim was unable to finish, because at that moment, Jim's nimbly, talkative robot came in from the kitchen door carrying four mugs of steaming bowie juice (Four, because Amelia had brought her children back to her house in the early morning. She'd scheduled a babysitter so she could return to the Benbow later). He was singing animatedly and dancing about. They called him B.E.N., but I thought a better name would be "Chatty" or "I Can't Keep My Mouth Shut For Two Seconds To Let Someone Else Speak." B.E.N. was another thing I wanted to punch—definitely not as hard as Jim, but close. Next to him floated a pinkish blob with two wide eyes and a teensy mouth, blubbering and chattering along with B.E.N.'s awful singing. Morph was cute because he could transform into practically anything. I'd seen only one other morpher in my life, and Morph took the prize as one with the best humor. The other one I'd seen just burped. I'd met the two of them late last night after I found the map hiding in my jacket pocket. And thanks to B.E.N.'s raucous, non-stop talking, I hardly got any sleep. Wonderfully, I'd also been informed that Jim had been the boy who'd discovered Treasure Planet. "Startling" news. A hormonal, whining adolescent had _discovered Flint's Trove_… and then destroyed it. Sadly for Jim, I didn't doubt it. _**YES, I KNOW**_ he was attractive. Who cares? The destroyer of Treasure Planet had a big red X next to his name in my book, and guess what? I ate the eraser.

I couldn't tell what B.E.N. and Morph were singing... maybe that was a good thing…

"Good morning, Jimmy!" B.E.N. crowed, handing him a mug. "Hope you enjoy the bowie juice! Fresh from the vine this morning!" He leaped over to my seat. "Hiya, Nova! Want some? Fresh from the vine!" B.E.N. held out a cup for me.

_**Don't**__ punch him. Just take the juice and he'll go away._

I put on my best artificial smile and graciously took the glass, laying the map on my knees. "Thank you, B.E.N."

"No problem!" B.E.N. bounded back into the kitchen after distributing the juice, but Morph stayed in the living room with the rest of us. He hung near Jim's cheek, burbling a bit as he stared at me. Jim cupped his mouth and whispered something, then Morph floated over to me and just hovered there. I grew suspicious—because I didn't trust Jim in the slightest—but decided that I should get back to the matter at hand.

_Never trust a pretty boy. Mama's law._

"What were you saying about Billy?" I inquired curiously.

**But they must first realize that before the young can fly, the young must walk.**

Delbert cleared his throat. "Ahem. Well. We knew Billy for only a few moments of his life. He… uh… _dropped in_ for a visit about two years ago."

"It wasn't for a very long time," Sarah said further. "He seemed nice."

"A little insane, you mean," Jim mumbled.

"Hang on." I stopped sipping on the strangely delightful juice to calculate everything they'd just said. "You guys are… talking like… he's _dead?_"

Delbert grabbed his shirt's collar and tugged it a bit. "Yes, well…um…"

"Nova, he's been dead for over two years," Sarah confessed sadly. "His ship crashed nearby and Jim brought him up to the Inn. He handed Jim a spherical package and warned us of a cyborg. Then he died…" her voice drifted away. "I'm so sorry."

I felt a pang of grief along with a slight touch of hope. "Thank you for telling me," I murmured. "But now everything makes sense." _Finally_. "The spherical object he handed you." I reached over and placed my mug on a nearby table, then scooped up the map in my right hand. I held it up at eye level, like a display. It was warm in my palm. "Was this it?"

"Now wait a minute!" Delbert, again, stood from his chair and raised his pointer finger to the roof. "Before we go any farther, I'd like to know _the entire story_. From the beginning. How did _you_ get the map?"

I couldn't help breaking out into a sly grin as he spoke. My fingers rolled themselves over the sphere, recognizing every notch, indent and line in its intricate design as I pondered the idea. _Should I tell them?_ Yes, they'd been nice to me (excluding Jim), but they were all just _so unworthy_ to know my history. Did they have any idea who my ancestors were?

_**Good people live on Montressor. If you ever need help, that's where you go.**_

_Okay Dad… jeez._

"I'll tell you the whole story," I sighed reluctantly, tilting my head. "It's not completely a pleasant one, but okay.

"My ancestors were some of the first people to create a suitable hierarchy that pleased everyone," I began slowly. "They established laws, treaties, trade routes, education and health care for all, and were considered to be years ahead of their time. Peace was brought to the galaxy for the first time in a hundred years. Wars ceased, and all was good. We had an influential Queen and a formidable Royal Navy. My ancestors became very wealthy, very strong members of society with tons of power.

"Years and generations flew past. Peace remained, but the barriers were slowly chipping away with every protest and rebellion that popped up. The grandchildren of my ancestors were dying off suspiciously, and a violent rogue group of rebels had begun taking over, led by the first pirate: Captain Nathaniel Flint. He recruited even the lowliest of people to join his renegade, and soon had numbers that challenged those of the Royal Navy. So many people wanted out of the seal my ancestors had invented. They claimed the Queen and the representatives were corrupt and conceited.

"Strangely, the last thing Flint ever did to attack the Queen and the Royal Navy was—not a bombardment of the palace—but a heist. A heist to steal the prized Sphere of the Firsts."

Delbert chose that moment to gasp. "_Exactly_…" he breathed. "The missing Sphere of the Firsts! A holographic map containing the entire make-up of our galaxy! The representative of Mojil was blamed for its disappearance!"

"Right. Flint stole the Sphere because he had a feeling he could make it do more than just show you constellations, and poor Noah was accused for a crime he did not commit. Flint and his followers sort of popped in and out of history after that, ambushing thousands of jewel-carrier ships and seizing his prize. We can only assume that during those years, Flint had the Sphere rigged into not only the map, but the portal's key as well. He was a very smart pirate, which is rare nowadays." I placed a finger on a small symbol etched in the map. "He even covered the Queen's emblem with his own twisted insignia."

"So, basically, the only role you play in all of this is that your _ancestors_ originally had the Sphere, but it was stolen from them by Flint?" Jim asked shrewdly.

I fought the urge to stick out my tongue at him. "_That's not all_. Do any of you know how Billy had the map?"

No one answered.

"One of Flint's followers, a brave man named Grayson, stole the map from Flint as they were constructing Treasure Planet and sailed back to his home planet. After getting married and having a child, he gave the sphere to his only son and commanded that he keep the map safe from everyone. His son did as he was told. When the son died, the map was handed down to _his_ son; my father."

"Your family _owned_ the map?" Sarah presumed.

"We simply brought it back into the family," I explained briskly. "Grayson knew that, his son knew that, and so did my father, Leonard Aphelion. He and my mother, Kira, decided that the map must be protected at all times, for surely descendants of Flint and his followers would be after it. They used their own lives as barricades, and learned everything they could about combat and sailing. My sister and I were also fluent in martial arts, so we felt safe. Until…" Tears had begun their awful swell into the corners of my eyes. "I returned home from school one Wednesday only to find the place was burned to the ground. The authorities informed me that a barbaric bunch of pirates had kidnapped my parents and sister and ravaged through the entire house. They had been looking for something." I put a hand on my chest and shut my eyes. "Thank goodness our friend Billy had been watching the house from a distance. He managed to save the map before those grimy pirates got it. He even took me in for a few weeks. Then, just like my parents, he disappeared, and the map with him."

Jim, to my utter surprise, met my gaze seriously. "The map was always safe. Bones gave it to me, and I defended it with my life all the way to Treasure Planet." Then, he added, more gentler, "You didn't need to worry."

I sniffed and wiped my eyes. "I wish I'd known that then."

"But why all the fuss about the map _now?_" Delbert questioned. "And why wasn't it destroyed in the explosion?"

"Easy. The Sphere of the Firsts was designed to be near indestructible, and when Flint added on to the list of what it could do, he didn't touch a _thing_ having to do with its framework. A mere planet explosion isn't enough to shatter it." I rapped a finger on my chin. "And why is the map so popular _now_, after Flint's Trove blew up? Hard to answer. Let's put it this way: it doesn't just lead to _one_ place in the galaxy."

Jim sat up. "More?"

"Two? Two?" Morph piped up.

"The educated guess says 'three places, one being Treasure Planet.' But, personally, I think that it may lead to up to six locations." I lowered my voice. "And you know what's supposedly hidden at the sixth?"

Everyone shook their heads anxiously.

My voice became a haunting whisper. "Hidden at the sixth was Flint's greatest treasure, the only thing he never got around to using."

I paused, building suspense, then breathed the word.

"Immortality."

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OOOOOO SCARY

review please!


	9. Somewhere Above Montressor

_**ALERT: I made a HUGE mistake in the last chapter. Nova actually stayed with Billy Bones for a few YEARS, not weeks. Jeez! Then she'd be about 12 years old! So sorry for the slip-up! :(**_

I apologize that I'm just firing these chapters off like no tomorrow. It's spring vacation, and I'm very bored. When I am bored, I write. And write. And write. I'm planning on the next chapter to be my longest yet, so please don't hate on me when I don't post anything tomorrow. I'll just say that the next chapter will be the set of the story. Ba-bam. Yes, the _set_. You're gonna find out what all of them are going to do about the map and things. And, if you read below, they've got someone watching them...

_I always feel like somebody's watching me!!!!_

Had a Geico moment there. Haha. Hope you enjoy. Not a long chapter, but full of VERY important info. Who's Big S?

And I apologize for the lame names in this chapter. I usually make up the MOST ORIGINAL names. Not today... *sigh*

Enjoy and review!!!!!

-ecto1B

DISCLAIMER. I DONT OWN TREASURE PLANET.

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Chapter 8

Somewhere Above Montressor…

_A thin, emotionless man wearing a billowing cloak stood at the top of the ship's staircase, unmoving. His sharp red irises remained focused on the deck, almost inhuman. Beneath his cloak he hid a secret that only few spacers had lived to tell about. Truly, he was not accustomed to revealing his secret, for it was one of deadly consequences. An uncontrollable reflex that caused many to cower beneath his lithe shadow. _

_His great grandfather would be proud of what he was doing. That was certain. Pushing tireless energy towards finding the map was all that currently mattered. Whatever piece of him he lost, he gained in the reward. Immortality was worth every limb, cargo and soul in the galaxy. His grandfather had died keeping it safe. And the duty had been passed on to him: Domis. He would find the map and then find the six locations. It was all a matter of time before the Queen lost her crown and a new sovereign sat at the throne. No longer would there be a Royal Navy. No peaceful trade routes. Only the strongest men and women would survive, which is all Domis wanted. The Firsts would finally be the Lasts. And the name "Flint" would be carried through history over again, sparking fire into eyes and fear into hearts. _

_He shut his eyes finally and chuckled. He'd been staring at the same spot without blinking for over an hour. Wilhelm and Hayden had yet to return to the ship, which meant they had failed. Oh, a miserable fail… their lives would be the token of redemption, fed to the Candarian zap-wings that flew around a nearby black hole. That would be the only way to clean the mission. No stone left unturned, no—_

"_Captain!" a frail voice called through the night. "We found the man!"_

_Domis narrowed his eyes, watching Wilhelm and Hayden park the longboat up next to the ship. They heaved a muscular figure from the boat and onto the deck. The man's blood stained the wood the moment they touched. His elongated orange beak hung open, and his eyes were shut tight._

"_Dead?" Domis prompted. Hayden, the grotesque pea-green gargoyle-looking man, nodded eagerly. _

"_As soon as we jumped 'im, he decided to die on us!" Wilhelm, a chubby purple man, said enthusiastically. "And guess what?" He opened up the pelican's pockets and rummaged around. "No map! He tricked us!"_

_Domis's eyes became fiery coals. "Are you saying he is a decoy?!?!" he spat._

_Wilhelm and Hayden gulped, wringing their hands._

"_Yeah… the map must be on that planet he landed on!" Hayden hardly had time to do any more, because Domis's cloak spread out, and long red tentacles appeared. They shot out and wrapped around Hayden and Wilhelm, pulling them up to Domis's furious face. _

"_You let a __**decoy**__ trick you?" he snarled savagely, tightening his grip on the spacers. "That is unacceptable! You both will be fed to the zap-wings as soon as possible!" He flung the men against the ship's mast, and they cried in pain. Wilhelm moaned and stood up weakly, facing Domis. _

"_We __**know**__ where the map is!" he tried to reason with his demonic captain. "This old spacer flew down to Montressor and dropped off the Bravery's captain, along with the map! It's down there right now!" His teeth were chattering madly. _

_Domis's tentacles retracted and hid back beneath the cloak. "What?"_

_Hayden placed a hand on the mast and tried to stand. "Yeah, we saw 'im do it! The map is on Montressor!"_

_Full of realization, Domis spun around to face in the direction the cabins were. "CREW! TO YOUR STATIONS! WE'RE SEARCHING THE PLANET!"_

_Around twenty or so husky spacers swarmed from behind the cabin doors, manning every part of the ship in less than a minute. Some men prepared the sails, others readied the cannons. A few began mopping up the deck of the dead man's blood. Domis smiled at his crew's speed. They would have the map in no time._

_Strolling over, he stared down at the dead spacer's body, all tattered and wet. A single tentacle slid out and crawled across the man's chest, looking for a nameplate of some sort. When he found one, the tentacle brought it up to his eyes._

"_Patchy, eh?" Domis murmured. "Second-In-Command to Cpt. Nova Aphelion. Hmm." Domis dropped the name tag onto the floor and thought for a moment. "Nova Aphelion. She's the one that has the map." His eyes darted over the ship's railing at the peaceful green planet hanging below. "I think I might let Big S take care of her, since my own crew is too insubordinate to do a job correctly." Domis glanced back at Wilhelm and Hayden. "Fetch me Mr. S from the lower deck," he instructed. "Make sure he's still under our influence, then send him and a few others to the exact location our friend here hid the map." He kicked Patchy's shoulder. "Pitiful waste of time…"_

_As long as he had control over Big S, Domis was safe. Especially if that Hawkins boy got involved. This had been his plan all along. He'd heard many whirling stories about the young captain, some incredible and some pathetic. Hawkins was merely an obstacle that could be blown aside. And if anyone else got in his way… _he'd_ take care of them in a blink of an eye. This Nova girl might present a problem, however. She was commanding and persistent, but also young and naïve to what was really going on. She was much like her parents: using tireless energy to protect the map. And if she and Hawkins joined forces… Domis might be stuck for only a moment… until Big S came into play. He'd move so fast, they wouldn't know what hit them. _

_Struck with a pang of authority, Domis, still towering over the body, called out to his most burly crewmember, Brody._

"_Come and toss this filthy body overboard," he ordered, stepping back. "I want my ship to be rid of all foulness immediately."_

_The four-armed alien grunted and scooped up Patchy's body. With a single heave, Patchy once again vanished into the darkness of space._

* * *

Big S?

Lol thanks for reviewing!

Love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	10. I'm The Captain

Chapter 9

I'm The Captain

I lazily dragged a finger across the counter, inspecting my makeup-less face, frowning disapprovingly at the tiny birthmark below my right eye. Without all my foundation and blush, it was easy to see. My eyes were bare, rid of dark eyeliner and mascara, and my lips were missing their usual shine of lipstick. I recalled the most recent time I'd applied makeup back on the Bravery. Looking my best while commanding my crew was completely and utterly mandatory. I must act and look dominant to the men working under me. Now, after taking a nice warm shower, I'd dried my hair and was ready to reapply all that war paint.

It was the morning of my third day at the Benbow Inn, and frankly, I was getting pretty antsy, not being on a ship for so long. I craved the breeze, the yelling of the crew, the smell of the food being prepared in the ship's kitchen; all of this was familiar and rather comforting. But falling asleep without the slow lull of the ship rocking in the winds was difficult. And walking around, helping Sarah and B.E.N. in the kitchen, was odd. My brain went one direction, and my feet went another. _Who attacked my ship? How did they know about the map? Were they still looking for me? And where is Patchy? Is he alright?_

Feeling nauseated at all the questions, I hurriedly put on my makeup and resisted the urge to go lie down on my bed. My face now glowed like a beautiful solar fire. Pride surged inside of me because I looked like my mother. I could see her fair, tan face deep within mine.

There came a knock on the door. "Nova? Do you have a minute? I need to speak with you." It was Sarah, sounding a bit jumpy. Something had her distracted.

"Um… give me one more second…" I called back, checking to see how the worn blue dress fit me. She'd lent me a few of her older frocks to substitute for my destroyed captain's uniform, and so far, all of them fit my frame well. This one was made from pale, frayed cerulean fabric and had a single liquid stain along the lower hem. I found it quite flattering, however, despite its apparent age. How Sarah had lent me such a lovely dress, I had no idea.

After fluffing my hair and wiping a lipstick smudge from my chin, I opened the bathroom door to see Sarah sitting on my bed, gazing blankly out the window. Both her eyes and her mind seemed distant and in deep, constant thought. Something weird was going on here. Would Sarah tell me bad news? I could only cross my fingers behind my back and enter the room.

"Sarah?" I prompted, and her head spun around to look at me. Her face was as white as a ghost. She clutched her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, Nova it's you…" Sarah patted the bed. "We need to talk for a minute, if you don't mind."

I shrugged, taking a seat next to her. "Okay."

She stared at me very seriously, then took a deep breath. "I hate to tell you this, Nova, but Delbert was in Rowun, the nearest city to us on Montressor, and he said he saw gangs of nasty pirates… _searching_ for something and getting closer to the Benbow with every hour."

_WHAT?!?!_

As I shakily rounded up everything in my head, totally shocked, she went on. "I don't believe you're safe here any longer. You _or_ the map, in fact. We need to get you out of here before they find you." She pursed her lips. "It's not fair of me to ask this of you, Nova, but you _need_ to leave as soon as possible. I can't let you endanger my son, Amelia, Delbert, or their children. You're a good, strong woman, Nova. One I wish Jim would pay a little respect to." A depleted sigh came from her. "But it's not safe for you—or us—if you stay here."

I opened my mouth to object, but she stopped me. "Actually, Jim has an idea to tell you about that he thinks will work. It'll get you out of here, safe and sound, back to the Royal Navy so that they can correctly protect the map."

I couldn't prevent the bitterness seeping into my reply. "And has _Jim_ decided to illuminate you on his 'idea?'"

"No… not exactly." She rubbed her chin. "He only said that this plan of his was foolproof and easy to follow through with. But he has to run it by you first."

I moaned and buried my face in my forehead. "This is terrible. The fact that _I'm_ putting you all in danger… I'm so sorry, Sarah." I really _was_ sorry. These reckless pirates were completely ruining my life. I begged within that Jim was telling the truth; that he did have a reliable plan. _Or I was going to lose it and finally hit him._

She put a hand on my shoulder and forced a smile. "Don't worry. We can count on Jim's plan to be dependable; I'm sure of it." She patted my arm and stood from the bed, strolling towards the door. "He's waiting for you on the staircase. He's been sitting there for the past hour or so, just thinking." She tossed her hands in the air. "_So_ much like his father, I tell you. Always lost on some distant world and never in the room." Sarah winked at me. "That's what you get with a teenager."

I also stood, walking to the room's dresser where an assortment of hair accessories lay in total disarray. "Thanks, Sarah, for telling me all of this." I gulped. "I… appreciate that you didn't keep it a secret. Tell Jim I'll be down in a few minutes, please."

She nodded and left, keeping the door open a bit. I gasped heavily for air and picked at all the hair ribbons and ties laying askew. I wanted to put my hair in a simple ponytail before retreating downstairs to "chat" with Jim, and all these different choices of hair doo-dads weren't making my life any easier. I finally decided on a pretty white one that matched the apron of my dress, pulling my hair up and securing it with the ribbon. As my hand reached for the door handle, I felt my hair slide from its hold and back onto my shoulders. I huffed and turned around to see the ribbon, untied, hovering in midair.

"Morph…" I chided exasperatedly. "Stop teasing me. I know it's you."

Just as I thought, the ribbon transformed into the familiar laughing pink blob. He gurgled and floated around my head in a taunting sort of manner. I couldn't help giggle when I lunged for him and he swerved mischievously away.

"I don't have _time_ for this, Morph! Jim's waiting for me downstairs."

_Well__** that**__ was an odd sentence I never thought I'd say._

Morph understood my surrender and retrieved the real white ribbon. He even helped me tie up my hair again to make up for what he did. I politely thanked him and patted his head. With the impish blob resting on my shoulder, I pushed the door open wide and treaded down the hallway to the staircase at the end. As I passed rooms, I could hear different, foreign people conversing and gossiping from inside multiple rooms. The Benbow, much to my dislike, was now housing a few more residents, meaning that when Sarah said I was jeopardizing lives, it included more than just she, Jim, Delbert, Amelia and their children. Now the numbers had grown, and I was exposing an awful world to the innocent. If the pirates _did_ find me, I'd have to lure them away from the Inn as fast as possible. I could not let them burn it to the ground like Jim said they'd done last time. I couldn't put Sarah through that again.

My fingers massaged the large metal sphere resting in the side pocket of my dress. It was another thing I was so afraid of losing. This map was the only way to find the Six Troves (now five, since Treasure Planet blew up. Thanks Jim.) I knew the location of two Troves, each on a separate planet. Flint had given each planet a strange, indicating name, using words from an ancient dead language. The two I knew were Aurum, meaning "gold," and Venustas, meaning "loveliness." Why, I had no idea. Each name was supposed to be a hint to what travelers would find when they reached the Trove. The other three hadn't quite been pinpointed yet, but I was close to reaching a conclusion. We knew the missing planets' names, though. Crapula (Drunkenness), Turbatus (Angered), and Immortalis Continuus (Immortal Continuous.) All three had been mentioned in one of Flint's journals and deciphered by scientists at the Royal Navy recently. Their coordinates were cryptic, however.

During my second night at the Benbow, it had occurred to me that B.E.N. had been one of Flint's followers… didn't _he_ know the planets' locations? I was firmly intent on asking soon; hopefully before the pirates came.

Morph and I peeked around the doorway, making sure Jim was there. He was, sitting on the bottom step of the stairs with his chin in his hands; his back towards me. He was wearing the usual outfit: green shirt, boots, navy pants and a heavy dark jacket. (Sarah had cleaned his shirt after I'd used it for a bandage, and he was back to wearing it… kind of made me want to throw up…) His little ponytail stuck out from behind his collar, and I fought the urge to flick it. He was in a mood, taking a trip on his train of thought, and it wasn't my place to disturb him. The stair creaked when I stepped on it, so he turned around, but instead of seeing the face of a complaining pimply teenager, I saw that of a serious gentleman. I admit that I flinched, startled like no tomorrow. The humorlessness brimmed behind his apparently youthful face and sapphire eyes, and I noticed that instant that jeez, if Jim wanted to be scary, man, _he could so_ do it. A tiny bud of respect began to push up from underground inside of me when our eyes met. _Maybe my first impression of Jim was wrong?_

"Sorry to disturb you," I apologized hastily, heading down the stairs. I plopped myself on the stair above him and put my elbows on my knees. "Sarah said you wanted to talk to me?"

He dipped his head, then motioned for Morph to leave.

"Morph, why don't you go help B.E.N. clean up the breakfast dishes?" he advised, holding out a finger as a perch when Morph drifted over to him. "I think he was asking for help a while ago…"

When Morph game Jim a bemused look, Jim sighed. "I want to talk to Nova for a minute. _Alone_."

The blob giggled and transformed into Jim and I making out on the stairwell. I sat up in surprise, and Jim swiped an embarrassed hand at Morph. He turned a ripe red. So did I, I think.

Finally, Morph left to find B.E.N., and it was just Jim and I. We both were still beet red, but I decided to speak up before he brought up the subject of Morph again… Why was I so embarrassed? Jim was totally not my type, and definitely not the kind of guy I'd find myself kissing on a staircase. Morph could dream… _Jim_ could even dream, but NO. Just no.

"So," I coughed. "Your master plan, Captain Hawkins?"

"Oh, right. Well, I haven't exactly told Mom this, yet, but…" He inhaled slowly. "I want to help you find the rest of Flint's Troves." He bit his lip, anxious to hear my response, but I wasn't that stunned.

This was what I'd imagined all along: he was a guy full of adventure and thrill, wanting to set foot on every planet he could. It was only normal he wanted to accompany me. Was he ready for it? Not quite. Jim was still naïve… he'd be a hassle bringing along on the journey. But I could sure use B.E.N.'s knowledge (take notice I didn't say "use B.E.N.'s over-used voice box" anywhere in the last statement) on such a journey… and getting to B.E.N. would require bringing Jim…

_Aww, even though the dead weight may weigh me down… I'll take him. To be nice._

"That's fine," I replied smoothly. "I could honestly use you to navigate to the different locations, _and_ you are a certified Captain at the RNCA. (Royal Navy Captains Academy)." I threw him a neighborly smile. "I'd be honored to have you travel with me." _Telling little lies will get you places_ my father had once said. _But make sure they are, indeed, little. The bigger __**the**__y get, the bigger in trouble __**you **__get._

"Are you serious?" Jim ran a hand through his dangling bangs, his eyes wide. "I was certain you'd get angry at me and say I was too young, even though I'm only two years younger than you."

"Certain?" I scoffed. "Well, that makes me feel _so_ good about myself if you thought that." _Who did he think he was? Assuming I was like that?_

"Sorry, I just…" His voice trailed for a moment. "I think both of our first impressions turned out poorly. I'm _not_ just a moody adolescent like you might think. I'm a good person who is… bad at interpreting people correctly."

"And _I'm _not a stuck-up damsel-in-distress who has no sense of humor," I countered. "We _both_ were totally wrong." I pulled a loose strand of hair behind my ear and held out a hand for a handshake. "Can we put that all behind us?" When he didn't respond, I added, "At least _try_ to?"

A contempt grin appeared on Jim's face, and he shook my hand. "Sounds great. So do you want to hear my plan or what?"

I brushed at my dress and then again met his finally empty-of-hatred blue eyes as he looked at me. "Lay it on me, brotha'."


	11. Assumption

_Super sorry about the long wait! I've had stupid SAT testing all last week and this week, and then my choir had to get up at 4 in the morning to drive to a State competition. Ugh :( Hopefully it was worth the wait!_

_**BTW** please take notice--i said please--that Jim REALLY hates the word "assume." That'll come in handy later!_

_**CONTEST:** _

_If ANYONE can guess what the planet Venustas does to its trespassers (you'll understand this after you READ), I will personally make you an honorary member of the RLS Legacy's crew in further chapters! **And more**: If you have an AH-MAAAZING idea for my story, or something you'd like to see happen (reasonable, of course), I might even use it and make you a Legacy crew member too! Great? Lol_

_Songs that I listened to durning this chapter: _

"Smells Like Nirvana" by Weird Al Yankovic

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by the illustrious Elton John

and "Jump" by Van Halen

_That's your explanation for this chapter! Enjoy and review!_

_-ecto1B_

**I DON'T OWN TREASURE PLANET. DUH. (need I mention it AGAIN?)**

* * *

Chapter 10

Assumption

"Here's what I've come up with so far," I started, sitting long ways on the bottom step so to easily meet Nova's eyes. "Since the Bravery was seized by pirates, we'll use the RLS Legacy to take us to the Troves, and I'll hire a crew. Delbert will be our navigator, and B.E.N. can be our cook. We'll visit each planet, collecting as much treasure as possible, and then we'll come back as heroes." A satisfied smile crept across my face, and my gaze was lost in the wall behind her head. "This is my chance to retry Treasure Planet all over again… and get it _right_. To _really_ be amended as a hero."

"Huh?"

I shook myself out of the typical trance and pressed on. "I'll make sure to hire the best, most efficient crew of them all. They'll work hard for us, and won't know where, exactly, we will be heading, but won't need to ask. And Delbert knows every single star of this galaxy, so he'll be strongly effective as a navigator."

Nova nodded. "That sounds logical, Jim. And B.E.N.'s a pretty good cook…" her sentence dragged, as if there was more she wanted to add to the end. "Do you think he'll also be able to help Delbert?"

_What is she talking about? _"What do you mean?"

"Well… like I said before… I only know two of the locations. The other three are currently unexplored and undiscovered."

"Wait, I thought you said there were six?"

She stifled a laugh. "Yes, there _were_ six, until the largest one _exploded_. I'm thinking B.E.N. might remember the others' locations."

I barely hid the fact that her first statement ticked me off. My smile slowly turned into an annoyed wince, and I began twiddling my thumbs on my knees. The moment my gaze left hers, Nova knew something was wrong—I had not intended my motions to become such a give-away.

"I-I'm sorry," she managed cautiously. "If that's a sensitive subject, I didn't mean to touch on it. Really. You didn't mean for it to happen."

I stopped twiddling and looked back up at her. "Did you _really_ think I'd meant for Treasure Planet to blow up? With all that treasure and gold we could've used?" _Wasn't that what she'd assumed?_

I really hated that word, "assume." It was always getting people in trouble. Take me, for instance. I'd _assumed_ I could trust Silver. I'd _assumed _I would come home with piles of gold to give to Mom. And I'd _assumed_ I'd never have to go on another crazy voyage to find treasure ever again. Look where _assuming_ had brought me. Had assuming ever brought anyone anything good? No. So why did we do it?

"The Loot of a Thousand Worlds," she breathed. "No… no, of course not. No sane person would've meant to do that. I'm so sorry. Is… is that what you meant by 'getting it right this time?'" A loose strand of hair fell in front of her huge grey eyes, but it was ignored. "To bring back piles of gold for your mother?"

I shrugged. "Not sure. I guess so… I mean, last time I _did _come back with a few gold coins and jewels for the Benbow. But it never seemed like enough to me. Mom always deserved more." I hesitated, thinking I was saying too much, but, oddly enough, telling Nova all of this was relatively easy. "She's struggled ever since my father left, and I want to make it up to her and not be such a burden."

"Jim, your mother's proud of what you've accomplished," she reasoned kindly. "I'm serious. I can see it in the way she looks at you. She's grateful nothing happened to you while you were away, but is thrilled that you've done so much at seventeen. That's very important." Nova paused, clearing her throat. "You must truly be a wonderful son for her to care this much."

I shut my eyes and rolled my shoulders. "I guess so," I murmured, ending it there. I had no intention on going any farther into the conversation, and hopefully, by my body language, she understood the same. I was completely baffled by how comfortably I conversed with Nova. Didn't I not like her? She was sketchy, tight-lipped and stubborn. But strangely enough, I could relate to all that. I mean, hadn't I been like that before Treasure Planet? Weren't we _all _once hormonal, whiny teenagers?

Ignoring the fact that I was _indeed_ younger than her, and that I'd grown out of that phase a long time ago, I decided to ask her a few questions about the planets that the Troves were stored on. Ultimately, the importance of their locations would play a heavy role in our success, and she knew only two of their locations. We had to assume B.E.N. knew the other three. _Assume. There's that word again. I _hate_ that word._

"So… let me get this straight. You know two of the planets and their names?"

"Yep. Aurum is the closest, and Venustas is a little bit farther." Nova dug inside her dress pocket and pulled out the map, still shiny and gold. Even faster than I'd done it, her fingers flew along the sphere, and in seconds it opened. A holographic map of the entire galaxy, reaching from the far lengths of the Etherium to the darkest part of the Phobos Aurora, appeared around us, taking up most of the staircase as it filled every available space. Large planets rotated slowly all around my head, and stars as bright as candles hovered throughout the air. It even showed present-day things, like a star currently devolving into a supernova. _Super Nova? _

Nova stood up on the steps and indicated a large, distant planet floating nearby the RE.G. system: a pale flaxen-colored sphere with tons of moons drifting around it. _Aurum._ To any other spacer, it would appear a simple, non-threatening planet just hanging in the depths of space. But to Nova—and to Flint—Aurum was special.

"That's Aurum," she proclaimed contently, making a curving ring around the planet's outer rim with her index finger. "Pretty, ain't it?" She bit her lip and tilted her head to the right. "A bit ordinary, yes. But Aurum hides a sixth of Flint's Troves, so it isn't quite so plain. A simple man would pass right by it without a second glance, but true explorers prize Aurum's beauty like a gold necklace laying around a queen's graceful neck."

Something caught up to me. "What's so special about the planets' names?" I inquired calmly, resting my chin on my hand. Nova grinned and pretended to spin Aurum on the top of her pointer finger. She gazed up at the other planets circling around us and throughout the staircase, deep in thought. For a second there, I caught sight of an authentically appealing woman, with her long brown hair hanging on one side of her face and her eyes lost in contemplation. The moment passed, though. Very fast. Frankly, I didn't miss it one bit, because I was _not_ about to fall for someone like Nova any time soon.

"According to a journal left by one of Flint's followers, each planet was named in honor of what it specifically did to trespassers scouring for treasure. For instance, Aurum, meaning 'gold,' supposedly confuses people into thinking that everything on the planet—from the trees to the rocks—_is_ the treasure." Nova beamed mischievously at me. "People have reported visiting the planet in search of pounds of gold, and coming back lugging piles of rocks, dirt, and leaves. They claim that the planet bewitched them and made them believe everything was gold."

"How did Flint and his crew manage to hide the treasure there in the first place without getting possessed?"

"Supposedly, they made special goggles to repel the planet's… er… _possessive_ nature. We just have to hope they accidentally left a few pairs on the planet's surface for us. If they don't, you—Mr. Mechanic—will have to construct some. If all else fails, of course."

"I might be able to." The gears in my brain began their annoying whirr away. "What about the other planet you know about? Ven—something?"

It was that question that seemed to actually demoralize Nova. "Venustas?" Nova's finger left Aurum and landed a fair distance away on a small pinkish-hued planet. "The planet so overcome with loveliness? What about it?"

I saw it: she was trying to avoid discussing Venustas. I could tell. Something about the tone in her voice made me grow uneasy. Did I want to hear what she'd tell me? "What does it do to intruders?" I gulped. "It's like Aurum, right?"

Her nod displayed bare emotion. "Out of the Six Troves… the one guarded by Venustas is said to be the best protected." She shut her eyes and breathed in silently. "Venustas is deadly, Jim. _Very_ deadly. A mere simple mind cannot grip the gravity of its strength. It can make a very sane man… _go completely mad_." She trailed away, but then added, "Quite swiftly, too."

I fought back a shudder down my spine. Nova's eyes had become even paler and ghostly, and her cheeks hid a white pallor. There was something awful about Venustas that was scaring even the greatest of captains. Its legend had probably emitted a barrier around itself to keep away any unwelcomed visitors. But _just what_ was scaring them? Its brand of repellent?

"Do we know _exactly_ what it does?" I questioned weakly.

"Not fully," she replied. "The Royal Navy has come to the conclusion that no one has come back alive from Venustas for about a hundred years—since Flint's time. Apparently the planet was once a successful trading regime that dissolved instantly when Flint took it over. No one has come out since, and that means no one can inform us of its capabilities. Bad for us, good for Flint and the 'goods'."

I pondered the subject of these shielding goggles Nova'd mentioned. "And would these _goggles_ protect the wearer from Venustas's influence?" When she didn't answer, I included, "I mean, how else did Flint get onto the planet? Same with Aurum, correct?"

"I _guess_…" Nova said slowly. "Again, Jim, we can never be certain unless we've been there. The goggles _could_ only work on Aurum."

"And that makes it ten times harder."

"Precisely."

We both stared off at the spinning orbs above, musing and brooding on the subject at hand. I found Aurum again, and then inwardly calculated the distance between Crescentia and Aurum. Not far. Then I tried Crescentia and Venustas. A little bit farther. We'd have to head towards Aurum first, anyway, to check for the goggles.

From an impulse, I held my hand out for the map, and reluctantly she handed it over. I dragged my finger across the markings and found the one I was looking for. The map changed and zoomed in on a blank, empty area near the Phobos Aurora, coming to a stop near my head. A litter of rocks and craggy fragments hung in the air, retelling the familiar story of my very first voyage with descriptive words and names. _John Silver, S.S. Legacy, Mr. Arrow, exploding star, Scroop, life lines, mutiny_…

Fingers snapped in my face. "Jim… Jim? _Jim!_"

"Huh?" I shook myself and met Nova's bemused face. "What? Was I daydreaming?"

With gentle hands, she took the map back and shut it off. The holographic images of the galaxy fizzed away, leaving only the staircase, walls, and Nova and I. My ears suddenly filled with the sounds of the nearby kitchen, with plates shuffling and footsteps echoing. I heard Amelia and Delbert discussing something near the fireplace, and someone was crying upstairs in one of the rooms.

"Yes, Jim. You were daydreaming." Nova stuffed the map in her dress pocket and sat back down next to me on the stairs. "Treasure Planet?"

"Uh-huh."

She sighed and patted my shoulder comfortingly. "It must hurt."

_Yes. A lot._

"But this journey will make up for it!" she exclaimed happily. "You'll find five times the amount of treasure you did before! Imagine how many Benbows your mom could build! And how many solar surfers you could assemble! We'll have _mountains_ of gold and jewels surrounding us! We might even need a whole 'nother boat to carry it all in! Imagine it! No one will ever think of you as the guy who found Treasure Planet and barely survived its detonation! You'll be known as Jim Hawkins: the man who found immortality! The man who found piles of gold! Won't that be awesome?"

I was unable to hide the smile growing on my face. "Pretty awesome," I admitted.

Nova stood up and leaped from the stairs and onto the wood floor. "I'll ask B.E.N. about the other planets! The sooner we know their locations, the sooner we can find the treasure!" Her cheeks were rosy and flushed in excitement.

Filled with a rush of adrenaline, I followed suit. "And I'll hire a crew and schedule a transport to Crescentia!"

She started counting on her fingers. "We'll need supplies, like food and water… ropes, extra sails…"

"Uniforms, rafts, weapons, tools," I finished for her. "We can buy all that at the spaceport when we get there. And we'll have to clean the ship before traveling…"

"Hang on!" Before I could start heading upstairs to write all this down, Nova grabbed my arm. "I forgot to ask one more _very important _question."

"What?"

Her face scrunched into a playful smirk. "Who's the Captain of this voyage?"

I copied her teasing with a snicker of my own. "Me, of course."

* * *

_Next chapter: Nova talks with B.E.N._

_Fun? Lol I'll just say that there will be a TON of remarks Nova makes about B.E.N.'s jabbering jaws. :)_

_REVIEW PLEASE! _

_See **CONTEST **above!_


	12. Not So Annoying After All

Sorry people! Not a very long chapter here. Hey, please cut me a break. Tomorrow IS Easter, and I've got tons of homework to complete. And besides that, I stayed up until 12 last night reading Fanfiction on my iPod Touch. So PLEASE don't be mad that this is so short! It's very important, too!

This is scary news: I'm about to take on 2 stories! Besides working on The SuperNova, I'm beginning a Crossover Story! The crossover will be: Treasure Planet and Star Wars! Sound cool? First chapter might be up later today... if I can fit some time in between homework, cleaning and beating people's BUTTS on Call of Duty Modern Warfare! The story isn't officially named yet, but I will let you all know what it is soon!

My style in that story will ultimately change, so beware! :)

**ZOMG! EVERYONE! Go on Youtube and search for this: MediocreMovies NERF RAIDER CS-35!**

The video above made me laugh so hard, I cried. This is also one reason why this chapter is so short. I was laughing too hard to type anything.

Enjoy the horribly-complied chapter below, and have a wonderful weekend and Easter!

-ecto1B

I DON'T OWN TREASURE PLANET (for those of you who were wondering "Hmm. I wonder if she owns Treasure Planet...")

* * *

Chapter 11

Not So Annoying After All

I practically bolted towards the kitchen while Jim's footsteps thundered back upstairs to his bedroom. His round blue eyes left mine instantly, and we were off like rockets; lit by a fiery impulse that wasn't about to be silenced any time soon. Sparked also by the knowledge that the pirates were nearing our location rapidly, I hurried to find B.E.N. (I thought I'd NEVER have to torture myself by saying that sentence…) Like it or not, I had to harvest as much information from his malfunctioning circuitry as possible before we set off for Crescentia. Jim was planning on telling Sarah, Amelia and Delbert about his plan… "later," as he claimed so effortlessly. He would hire a crew and handle all the excess work before doing so, so I was rather worried we were setting ourselves up for failure. Would Sarah allow her only son to abandon her again in search of _more_ treasure? Or would she slam her fist down on our ideas? According to Jim, Delbert helped him last time in persuading Sarah to let him find Treasure Planet. Maybe he'd help us this time, too?

Needless to say, I finally found B.E.N. waltzing around in the kitchen with a mop clutched in his spindly robotic hand. His frail metal legs refused to tie him down as he gracefully performed the most elegant of dips and spins across the floor. The mop floundered around next to him; its long tentacle-like limbs thrashed as B.E.N. sent it swooping everywhere. I was surprised that B.E.N. wasn't knocking into the numerous plates and pots lining the walls. His moves were wild but _slick_, and I suppressed a giggle. B.E.N. might be highly annoying and talkative, but his moves reminded me of John Travolta in _Saturday Night Fever._

I hung back near the kitchen door, careful not to interfere with his strange dance. _Did he always do this?_ Maybe bringing him along on the voyage wasn't such a good idea…

B.E.N. noticed me at last and stopped. His large eyes—only circular frames with lights displaying his eye expressions—blinked at me. He propped the mop back against the wall and strolled over. He stood a bit taller than me… only because of the hugeness of his eyes.

"Oh hey Nova!" B.E.N. smiled, removing his apron and hanging it on a wall hook. "I was just… cleaning up!"

He annoyed me so much, but I grinned back anyway. "I have a few questions to ask you about Flint's Trove," I replied carefully. "If you have a minute, of course."

B.E.N. just about tackled me to the ground. "Really!?!? Gosh, Nova, I don't mind at all!" He dragged me over to a wooden bench and sat me down next to him. He shook with excitement. "Fire away!"

My burning question could no longer be restrained. "Do the names Aurum and Venustas ring a bell to you?"

Silence.

Slowly, B.E.N.'s face transformed from heavily excited to heavily petrified.

"How… did you hear about those names?"

I bit my lip. "Er… I'm actually looking for those _planets_, actually." He didn't answer. "I know about the Six Troves, B.E.N. I know they're mightily guarded by powers beyond my control, and I know the last one hides immortality. I know Flint didn't just store his loot on Treasure Planet. There were always five more." No response. "B.E.N., Jim and I want to find these Troves. We want to recover the precious items Flint stole. We're going to hire a crew, use the RLS Legacy to take us there, and then come back with the gold. It's all so simple."

His mouth jabbered open. "You… and Jimmy? Go by yourselves?"

"With a crew," I reminded him. "And we want you and Delbert to accompany us, since both of you know your way around the galaxy."

His eyes fell downcast and he began fiddling his wiry hands together. "Oh." He murmured. "N-not by yourselves? Good. So w-w-what are your questions?"

"Where are the other planets in retrospect with Crescentia?"

"Far away, located near the Phobos Aurora." B.E.N.'s voice was lined with remorse.

"Near where Treasure Planet was?"

"Yes."

"A few months journey?"

"Yes."

"What planet's the closest?"

"Aurum."

"The farthest?"

"Immortalis Continuus."

Inwardly, I huffed. _Well duh. The planet that holds the most important thing is the farthest away from where we are. Flint was obviously smart. I could've figured that out on my own!_

"One more question before I let you get back to… _cleaning_." The hardest question yet, and I had no idea how I would react to its answer. "What is the defensive mechanism set in place on Venustas?"

B.E.N. seemed to ponder for a moment. My blood boiled hard beneath my skin. I was very scared; not truly knowing the horrors shielding Venustas from weary travelers. What had caused so many men to go mad? And why had tons of men headed to explore the planet and not returned?

The way B.E.N. answered it was not expected. Only one word flew from his metallic lips and into my eardrums, and it was a foreign word I had never come across in my entire life.

"Amoura."

Puzzled, I interrogated further. "What's 'amoura?'" The word sounded much like "amour," meaning love, but what did it mean? Was B.E.N. going crazy?

B.E.N. sighed. "Not _what. Who._"

"Huh?"

He sighed again. "Amoura isn't a _what_. She's a _who_."

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REVIEW PLEASE! LOVE YOU ALL! THANKS FOR READING!


	13. The Shopkeepers

Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy with Blend and schoolwork. :) Don't kill me!!!!!

Okay, it's not my BEST work, but i hope you all like it!

NOTE: Two of the characters you're about to meet, Chloe and Elizabeth, are the two winners of my little contest I held before. Chloe is OMGitsEMILY (she writes AMAZING treasure planet stories and pretty much inspired mine. Go check her out!) and Elizabeth is THeFaCeiNTHeMaSK, another great writer and a very constructive reviewer of my stories. I thank both of them for being so supportive of me!

Enjoy and review! And please, if you like Treasure Planet, check out my other story titled "Blend"

-ecto1B

THANKS FOR READING!

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Chapter 12

The Shopkeepers

Well, I have to admit my shock.

After B.E.N. disclosed to me everything I needed—planet coordinates, short cuts, history on each planet, yadda-yadda-yadda—I thanked him and started for the stairwell, intent on telling Jim the good news. I mean, it had been our main objective from the start: locate the unknown planets and learn what Venustas really did to its travelers (which I refuse to divulge at this moment. All you pesky people will just have to sit tight a bit longer). I expected Jim to wait for me before going and talking to Sarah about the plan, for I worried about what she'd say. To my utter surprise, the moment I let the kitchen door shut behind me, there came another sound coming from the living room: two voices, to be exact. Sarah's and Jim's. They were deliberating about the voyage already! My knees knocked and my palms got all sweaty from the anxiety that poured into my body.

Lucky for me, she said yes.

It only took a few hours from then for us to board a transport and be whisked away to Crescentia (after Jim and Delbert were packed, of course.) It would be Jim, Delbert, B.E.N. and I leading this epic voyage to find the Troves (yes, we brought Morph!). Sarah and Amelia decided to stay at the Benbow and keep it running while we were gone. Besides, Amelia was already tired from taking care of four little babies. She _needed_ to stay back.

I'd only been to Crescentia once before in my life, but I didn't remember it the way it was. All the hustle and bustle of ambitious, space-bound men crammed into crowded streets and small passageways. Don't get me wrong: it was magnificently beautiful. The slender neck of the spaceport reaching further up into the blue sky and the glow that emitted from its pale white color were enchanting. The moment I stepped off the transport, my eyes had to narrow to keep out the immensely bright rays dripping from the sky. Jim, however, marched past me. His eyes remained at eye-level with everyone, and didn't even take a second to peek above him. Delbert and B.E.N. were the same way. I inwardly rolled my eyes, careful not to aggravate him before we got on the Legacy.

Jim suddenly instructed me to "do what girls do best." At first I didn't get what he meant, but then he directed a finger down a long lane of shops and markets nearby. I huffed. _Stigmatizing jerk._

"Go pick up some supplies for the journey," he ordered seriously, handing me a small bag of coins. "Then meet us at the Legacy when you're done. We'll be leaving in around an hour."

_Persnickety, persnickety, persnickety. Jeez, Jim. You're not the captain __**yet.**_

"Okay," I replied simply, hoping he wouldn't detect the disapproving tone in my voice. "One hour." _Oops. _Our eyes locked onto each other and we had a silent quarrel about him being convinced that all girls were "experts" at the art of retail emporiums. I, on the other hand, believe that many girls are NOT attracted to that sort of thing and would easily choose something dangerous and thrilling over visiting the nearest department store.

He, Delbert and B.E.N. began walking away through the crowd, leaving me standing nearby a tubby green spacer with a ferret-like beard.

"Don't forget to purchase some books to read on the voyage!" Delbert called out to me before he was swallowed into the sea of people. I gave a depleted sigh and glanced around at the stores, debating on which to visit first. _Bookstore?_ A flimsy wooden sign to my right hung off the roof of a dingy old shack. It read: _**Jericho's Books**_. Unlike the other numerous shops lining the street, this bookstore wasn't sporting a huge line of spacers pouring from behind its doors. Instead, it appeared mildly serene.

Reluctantly, I pulled the cloak hood over my head and whisked inside the tattered wooden door of _Jericho's Books_, making for a quick retreat from the jammed streets. Shelves of dusty, torn books fringed the edges of the shack. The wood floor squeaked and creaked as my boots pressed upon them slowly. I marveled in the store's elderly appearance. Old places and buildings always fascinated me. My eyes darted to the back portion of the store where a tall redheaded woman with bright purple eyes and a pale but friendly face took inventory behind the store counter. She hadn't yet noticed me, so her eyes remained downcast at the books sprawled across the table. A small sign on the front of the counter read: _**Jericho's Books, owned by Chloe and Elizabeth Jericho**_.

As I stepped my way nearer to the counter, the woman's eyes jerked up to me, startled to see someone. She dropped the book she'd been clutching and pressed a hand to her forehead, taking deep breaths.

"I'm so sorry!" I apologized quickly, lowering my hood from my long brown hair. "I didn't mean to scare you."

She waved my apology away. "Oh, it's no big deal. It's my fault for not paying better attention to customers. I'm Chloe. Chloe Jericho." She extended her hand and I shook it. Her grip was firm. "My sister and I own this little shop."

"I'm Nova." I refused to reveal my last name, just in case. Jim had warned me that some of the pirates might be hanging around the spaceport, and I surely didn't want to get captured. Chloe didn't seem threatening, but I was just following "the Captain's" protocols. _Jim? Captain? Sheesh. That should be the understatement of the century. When did he deserve such a title?_

"Nice to meet you, Nova." She scooped up the books from the table and deposited them on a shelf nearby. "Please feel free to browse around at your leisure. I'll just be a moment." With that, the redhead vanished behind the storeroom door.

I took a look around some more, casually picking up a book titled Animals of the Etherium. I allowed my fingers to flip through its worn pages, suddenly taking notice of a large shadow ducked outside the store window… from the corner of my eye, I saw that the figure wore a cloak as well, and was almost two times my size. I pretended to be engrossed with the picture of the Candarian zap-wing on page 23, but my mind was somewhere else—

"Nova?" I spun around to see that Chloe had returned with someone. This girl was also a fiery redhead with pasty violet irises and a gentle pallor. She had a pencil behind her ear and was carrying a mathematics book under her left arm. I saw the resemblance between she and Chloe—_this must be Elizabeth._

"This is my sister, Elizabeth," Chloe introduced us. _Sha-__**bang**__. I was right. _"She and I run this place. If you need help finding anything, just let one of us know."

I thanked them. "Actually, I _do_ need some help. I'm about to take part in a voyage that might last months, and I need some books on the Etherium and planets near the Phobos Aurora." I didn't mention _why_ I was going there, and hoped they wouldn't ask.

Thankfully, the girls took notice in my confidentiality and never questioned further. They showed me countless numbers of books about everything I could ever imagine, from a description of every single star in the Etherium to the constellations and the best routes for travel. We even found a few maps stuffed inside a book that had belonged to some old traders from the past. They displayed a few shortcuts to the Phobos Aurora and told of the dangers hiding behind every meteor and asteroid floating in space.

Elizabeth, though quiet, was essentially useful to me with working out some simple math problems I'd forgotten how to do. Once, I had to calculate in my head the distance from Crescentia to the Etherium, and Elizabeth had it done in seconds, I swear. I desperately wished for her intelligence. And Chloe was so outgoing and enthusiastic about each book, which made me feel bad that such smart girls were working in a ruined old bookstore.

I finally chose four books that contained all the necessary information I required for the trip. It only cost me a few coins, gratefully. _Jim won't be mad. Ha! Now I can rub it in his face that not all girls splurge. Well, maybe little girls like __**him**__…_

"You all set?" Chloe asked as I checked out. Huge grins were plastered onto their kind faces. I couldn't help flashing one back. "Got everything you need for this amazing journey you're going on?"

I nodded. "Yep, thanks to the both of you, of course. I really appreciate all the help. I'd be lost without it."

Elizabeth picked at the pencil on her ear. "It's nothing, really. We like helping people."

"Books are our passion," Chloe explained. "We're just glad you found the perfect ones." She ran a hand through her red hair and beamed. "Be sure to come visit us when you return from your journey. We'd love to hear all about it!"

"Of course." I readjusted the hood on my head and tucked the books inside the cloak's pocket. "I promise I'll come back." My hand twisted the doorknob and I opened the door. "Thanks again."

"Anytime!" They waved to me, and I left and shut the door, becoming enveloped inside the swarming heap of people on the long streets of the spaceport. Hundreds of thoughts ran through my mind all at once, distracting me from the cloaked looming figure approaching me from behind.

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We'll be right back, after this commercial break! Lol

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	14. Unlucky

Hey people, it's ecto1B. Sorry about the delay. I've been really busy since school is winding down and my teachers just love to cram everything on us at the last lap. Hope this chapter makes up for it. If you haven't read any of my other stories, I recommend that you do. I should have the next chapter of Blend up tomorrow… if my schedule doesn't mess up again.

I'm hoping that I'll finish this story sometime during summer vacation. I'll be gone during the end of May, so don't expect any updates during then. I'm going to see a concert! Yay!

If you like Treasure Planet and you're too anxious to wait for another chapter, read Blend by me or Fearless by OMGitsEMILY. Fearless is almost done and it's such a good read! And don't forget to review her story!

R&R please! Give me some ideas! I'm running out of cranium juice!

-ecto1B

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Chapter 13

Unlucky

I finished my shopping as fast as possible. Most of the supplies would be delivered to the Legacy's port before departure, such as the kegs of water and piles of rope I'd ordered. The only thing I carried with me were the books from _**Jericho's**_and the map. I knew it was a bad idea to be hiding _that_ in my cloak pocket. Someone could just come up from behind me, push me to the ground and dive for the pouches in my cloak.

And that is JUST what happened.

I never really noticed that the other figure wearing a huge poncho had been following me down the streets into every store. I just assumed he was merely shopping as well. Maybe he was going on another extravagant voyage like me and required all the same things I did. I paid him no mind and concluded shopping about 15 minutes early. Naturally, when a woman has free time, she likes to browse around other stores and just_ happen_ upon some exotic perfume sample or something like that. But I was rearing and ready to get on with the voyage, so I turned my nose away from those fancy perfume shops and tried to find my way to the Legacy. To me, every ship looked like the Legacy. I kept bumping into people on the way, asking "Do you know where the R.L.S. Legacy is docked?" but all they did was grunt and point in any random direction.

Then, it was 10 minutes until the Legacy set sail, and I was completely lost. A ton of people started avoiding me because of my hood. Maybe I looked like some foreign deaf person to them—I don't know. I was tired, hungry, and hopelessly confused as to which direction I was supposed to be going. My arms felt battered from being rammed into countless times, and my ears rang with the screeching of gulls and the hollering of nasty spacemen screaming curses in my ear.

It all happened quite fast. I have to credit him for that: he moved so swiftly I had no time to make a break for it. One minute I was looking earnestly around for ANY sign of Jim or the Legacy, and the next, my cheek was plastered to the rough cobblestone floor of the Spaceport. I moved my eyes around bewilderedly and realized that I couldn't move from where I lay. Someone was keeping me pressed to the ground with a huge fat hand. My heart rate rapidly rose to an alarming number per minute, and I could barely breathe.

_Is it just me, or am I super unlucky?_

"Don' move, lass," the figure murmured. "Jus' gettin' wha' I came fer." His other hand ripped off my cloak from my writhing body and started digging around in the pockets. Since I was pretty much facedown the entire time, I could not tell what he was looking for, but I had a good guess.

"Get your STINKING PAWS OFF ME!" I screeched, thrashing about. "HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I continued to scream, hoping at least ONE person in Crescentia would notice that I was in trouble.

"_Shush_!" He barked. "I almos' got it…"

_**WHAM!**_

Something flew out of nowhere and rammed the fat man off of my back. My cloak fell to the ground near my legs, and I scrambled to my feet as fast as I could to see what was happening, hurriedly pulling the cloak back on. A huge muscular spacer with two brawny arms that were larger than me was tussling with the fat pirate nearby, throwing punches and keeping him subdued. He roared over his shoulder to someone.

"JIM! GET HER TO THE SHIP!"

_Huh?_

"C'mon! You heard Nero! We've got to get you out of here!"

Before I could think, Jim was pulling me through the crowd. We raced as fast as we could, dodging people and jumping over things like superheroes. The breeze conveniently removed my hood as we ran (I'm being utterly sarcastic right now), so my ponytail whipped into my face about twenty thousand times. And to make matters worse, I was totally disoriented and clueless as to what was happening, so I just stumbled along behind Jim. His fingers tightened around mine when we ducked behind a large stack of barrels, and before I could ask him what was going on, he muffled my mouth with his hand. His blue eyes were clouded with angst.

"Don't… say… _a word_…" he whispered. We crouched lower behind the barrels for cover. Carefully, Jim snuck a look out at the panicking swarm of people beyond.

"Mmmmfff!" I tried to speak, but my words were smothered in the palm of his sweaty hand. "Mmmff! MMMMFFF!"

"_What?_"

I shoved his hand away. "_What_ just happened?"

"A pirate just attempted to steal the map from you," he hissed hotly.

I huffed. "Thanks for pointing that out_, Mr. Obvious_. I _think_ I already knew that."

"Then _what_ are you asking?"

"The other big dude? Who was that? The one who helped me?"

Jim massaged his neck and sighed. I could tell that he was still intently listening for anyone approaching our hiding place simply by his facial expression. Beads of sweat cascaded from the tip of his nose, and there was a dark discoloring on his green shirt from his chest.

"Nero. He's a member of the crew," he explained, wiping his forehead. "We both decided to go help you 'shop,' but then we saw you in trouble and, well, let's just say that he's got a protective side."

"Where are Delbert and B.E.N.?"

"Aboard the Legacy. I just met the crew." A smirk curled on his lips. "I hired a very nice one, if I do say so myself. All tough-as-nails and highly efficient."

I exhaled slowly. "After what Nero just did, I believe you, Jim."

"Did you get a good glimpse of the pirate's face?" He sounded desperate.

I shook my head. "No. He pinned me down before I could see him. He was majorly fat and had a really rough grip. That's all I could tell." I tilted my head a bit. "Why?"

Jim coughed. "I have a guess as to who it was. So does Nero. That's why he was so brutal when he pummeled your assaulter."

"Who?"

"Let's just say that if Nero and I are right, we are _all_ in a heap load of trouble." He took my hand again and started creeping from the shadows. "Let's get to the Legacy as fast as possible. Nero should be meeting us there after he's handled your attacker."

I pulled him back behind the barrels. "We can't just go out there. We need to look different from how we looked before." Immediately, I had an idea. "Here, wear my cloak." I yanked it from my shoulders and wrapped it around his sweating body, the lifted the hood onto his tousled brown hair. Then I took my hair from its ponytail and let it fall to just above my waist. "There. We look different."

"What was the point of this?" He rolled his shoulders and readjusted the hood.

"If we come out from here looking like the two people who just ran for their lives through a mass of spacemen, people will get suspicious."

"Ah."

A last-minute thought popped into my head. "One more thing." I slid my hand downward and laced my fingers with his. "We should look like a couple, purely tourists examining a new world. It'll give us better cover that way." I felt my cheeks heating up. I squinted my eyes, trying to block out the redness that was developing around my face.

Jim must've seen the flush before I could hide it. He snickered. "Oh, so _that's _your excuse for wanting to hold my hand some more, is it?"

Now my face burned. "No… it's just—"

"Never mind, Nova." He mocked one of my sighs. "Let's just _get on with it_, shall we?" His voice grew high-pitched to echo mine.

I playfully elbowed him in the ribs. "Oh, _shut up_."

_Immature._

With that, we, as a "newly-wed couple," departed the cover of the large kegs and arrived in the bright sun of Crescentia once again.


End file.
